Tarantura is a record label based in Canada but due to legal reasons they say they are from Japan which releases bootleg recordings. Since 1993 it has been specialising in Led Zeppelin and Page and Plant releases.
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos; also conducting talent scouting and development of new artists ; and maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives from the circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the manufacturer's name, along with other information.
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest country by total area. Canada's southern border with the United States is the world's longest bi-national land border. Its capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. As a whole, Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its land area being dominated by forest and tundra. Consequently, its population is highly urbanized, with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities, many near the southern border. Canada's climate varies widely across its vast area, ranging from arctic weather in the north, to hot summers in the southern regions, with four distinct seasons.
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.
Tarantura is known for its release of high quality recordings and elaborate packaging which, according to Led Zeppelin archivists Dave Lewis and Simon Pallett, often employs a "finesse and style unmatched even by official standards." [1] For example, in 1994 the label released Monsters of Rock, an elaborate 3-CD set containing the soundboard recordings from Seattle and Detroit from Led Zeppelin's 1973 concert tour of the United States. This release contained concertina-style fold-out packaging, with each disc in individual heavy stock and card sleeves. The front of the pack was designed in the style of a 1950s B-movie poster of a giant spider, "Tarantura!" Initial copies even included a jigsaw puzzle of the cover art.
A soundboard recording is a sound recording of a concert taken from a direct connection to the soundboard at the venue. Soundboard recordings are considered to be among the highest quality bootleg recordings of live performances though some soundboard recordings may have an off-balance audio mix.
Seattle is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With an estimated 730,000 residents as of 2018, Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. According to U.S. Census data released in 2018, the Seattle metropolitan area’s population stands at 3.87 million, and ranks as the 15th largest in the United States. In July 2013, it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1%. In July 2016, Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city, with a 3.1% annual growth rate. Seattle is the northernmost large city in the United States.
Detroit is the largest and most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the largest United States city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of Wayne County. The municipality of Detroit had a 2017 estimated population of 673,104, making it the 23rd-most populous city in the United States. The metropolitan area, known as Metro Detroit, is home to 4.3 million people, making it the second-largest in the Midwest after the Chicago metropolitan area. Regarded as a major cultural center, Detroit is known for its contributions to music and as a repository for art, architecture and design.
However, the main criticism levelled at Tarantura is that the prices charged are outside the reach of many collectors. Each title is extremely limited (usually only 300-500 sets), sometimes individually numbered, and sold through one outlet in Japan with no mail order. They are therefore difficult to obtain overseas and command extremely high prices when they do appear for sale. By way of example, the estimated value of Monsters of Rock currently stands at over ₤400.
The Tarantura label can claim responsibility for some notable Led Zeppelin releases, including the 19-CD box set A Week For Badgeholders which captures the six shows performed by the band at the Los Angeles Forum during its 1977 concert tour of the United States. It has also released sets from the band's two performances at Knebworth in 1979, their entire 1972 Japanese tour, and every show from their 1980 tour of Europe.
Led Zeppelin's 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into three legs, with performances commencing on 1 April and concluding on 24 July 1977. The tour was originally intended to finish on 13 August, but was cut short following the death of Robert Plant's son.
Led Zeppelin's 1972 Japanese Tour was the second and final concert tour of Japan by the English rock band. The tour commenced on 2 October and concluded on 10 October 1972.
Tour Over Europe 1980 was the last concert tour by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The tour ran from 17 June to 7 July 1980. Ten of the tour's shows were performed in cities throughout West Germany, as well as one show each in Brussels, Rotterdam, Vienna, Zürich, and West Berlin.
